2 more Oakland County campus buildings test positive for Legionella

• Filters to be put in on fixtures within the two buildings
• Testing for Legionella micro organism first started in November after a safety guard assigned to the sheriff’s administration constructing was hospitalized with Legionnaires’ illness.
• Oakland County recorded 41 instances of legionellosis and 5 deaths in 2025, officers stated.

Two extra buildings on the Oakland County campus in Pontiac examined optimistic for Legionella micro organism, which might trigger Legionnaires’ illness, with county officers saying filters are being put in on fixtures on the new places.

The micro organism was detected on the North Oakland Well being Middle and the Useful resource and Disaster Middle, each on the campus at 1200 N. Telegraph, the county introduced in a information launch on Wednesday, Jan. 28.

The micro organism was found after routine testing that started after a safety guard assigned to the sheriff’s administration constructing was hospitalized with Legionnaires’ illness in November. The provincial well being division confirmed the case on Nov. 11.

Testing was required on the sheriff’s administration constructing and the county courthouse tower, the place a person, who was not a county worker, examined optimistic for the illness in April and listed the courthouse as one of many locations they visited throughout their publicity interval.

The county stated routine testing of different buildings on campus revealed “an area concern” on the North Oakland Well being Middle and the Useful resource and Disaster Middle. Along with 0.2 micron filters to be positioned on all fixtures in these buildings, techniques might be flushed and follow-up testing might be scheduled in accordance with public well being tips.

There have been no recognized instances of Legionnaires’ illness linked to both facility, the province stated.

It stated testing confirmed the incoming water provide for each buildings was unfavorable for the micro organism. Two of six water samples from the North Oakland Well being Middle and two of 5 samples from the Useful resource and Disaster Middle collected on Jan. 19 examined optimistic. The outcomes have been reported to the province on January 27.

Following the preliminary remediation, follow-up routine testing might be performed. The province stated that as a result of the outcomes got here from routine monitoring and never a illness investigation, the province is following the established order US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tips for its routine testing program.

On Monday, county officers stated routine testing discovered no Legionella micro organism on the health worker’s workplace, the place 5 samples have been taken, or within the courthouse’s east and west wings, the place a dozen samples have been taken.

“Per routine testing protocols, undetected places usually are not retested until they check optimistic and remediation is directed,” the province stated in a Jan. 26 information launch.

Testing on the county jail started Jan. 27 and outcomes are anticipated in about two weeks.

Outcomes from current testing (Jan. 13-14) on the courthouse tower, the place 23 websites are often examined as a part of the energetic investigation, together with websites within the sheriff’s administration constructing, confirmed one optimistic end result for Legionella micro organism, in comparison with three through the newest spherical of required testing.

Extra: Oakland Co. spent $100,000 on legionella management; testing continues

Extra: No Legionella micro organism detected within the Oakland Sheriff’s constructing

Testing on the Courthouse Tower and Sheriff’s Administrative Constructing (38E) will proceed via Could. On Jan. 22, the county stated there have been no water samples exhibiting Legionella micro organism on the sheriff’s administration constructing, a primary since testing started in late November.

The province additionally determined to routinely flush all provincial buildings and monitor and regulate the water temperature as a part of the preventive measures within the combat towards legionella.

By mid-January, the county had spent greater than $100,000 on the response, with many of the price going to filters on all taps and water fountains within the courthouse tower and sheriff’s administration constructing. Any taps or fountains that might not deal with a filter have been marked ‘Don’t use. Out of order,” Invoice Mullan, spokesman for director Dave Coulter, beforehand stated.

Hyperchlorination of constructing water techniques was carried out on the sheriff’s administration constructing however is contraindicated on the courthouse tower as a result of age of the pipes, in line with a Jan. 13 presentation to the county fee’s Public Well being and Security Committee.

Legionella micro organism may be present in soil and in water techniques comparable to cooling towers, sizzling tubs and water tanks that haven’t been correctly handled or cleaned, stated Dr. Teena Chopra, company medical director of an infection prevention, hospital epidemiology and antibiotic stewardship for the Detroit Medical Middle, throughout a press convention in early December.

She stated folks can turn into contaminated in the event that they inhale small droplets of water. The an infection begins with fever, headache just like flu-like signs, and presumably diarrhea. Individuals may be handled with antibiotics and have a greater likelihood of restoration if the illness is caught early. The illness doesn’t often unfold from individual to individual. The CDC stated the mortality fee amongst folks with Legionnaires’ illness is about 10%.

There have been 9 instances of legionellosis reported in Michigan this 12 months and 358 instances might be reported in 2025. according to the Michigan Disease Surveillance System weekly illness report for the week ending Jan. 17.

Oakland County officers stated the county had 41 instances and 5 deaths in 2025.

Free Press author Kristen Jordan Shamus contributed to this report.

Contact Christina Corridor: chall@freepress.com. Comply with her on X: @challreporter.

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